January 2018 E TH Welcome Expanding horizons... We bring you our second edition of the Edge Bulletin this academic year, once again packed with evidence of the many varied forms the Edge is taking in schools across the country. Reading this term’s bulletin will give you a fantastic insight into how the programme can look across stages and in a range of settings. We start with two case studies from primary schools - one impressive example of a school embedding skills development alongside academic excellence. Another details their successful launch of the programme focused on Raj Resilience and the immediate impact visible as a result. Contact i Our first secondary case study gives details on a launch of the programme across year information 7, initially with a focus on leadership. In this case, by getting every student to read out a speech in application of leadership roles within the school, the whole process changed Email: and quieter students were brought to the fore. What a way to show students that the [email protected] playing field is level and, as one Leading Edge Coordinator says in a later article, “Theodore Geisel describes our situation perfectly. All young people have the innate Hannah ability to stand out from the crowd. They just need to find the opportunity.” 07778 703319 We hear from students themselves as to what exactly the Edge means to them – one Lixi of whom states that the Edge has changed her view of education: whilst she knows 07717 724231 she must work hard to get the best grades, she thinks it will be the LORIC skills that will Amy allow her to use them in later life. 07827 317155 Finally, we have two case studies on an issue that screams at us from all corners – PiXL website: wellbeing. One will provide ideas on how to implement a wellbeing strategy within your www.pixl.org.uk school and a second is an example of a school taking a regional lead and running a conference for staff and students. We hope you enjoy reading about these expanding educational horizons and do contact us if you need any details. The Edge Team Implementing the Primary Edge Green Park Working on the Edge at Green Park! Green Park Community Primary School in Dover could, to people that don’t know it well, appear to be a tough place to teach. 80% Free School Meals, on a large social housing estate. However, parents, children and staff who have crossed the threshold all agree that it is the exact opposite. In February 2017, Ofsted visited the school and rated it as ‘Outstanding’ in every area. Being a member of the PiXL family has played a major role in the school’s success. Engaging with The Edge has given children at the school a focus and opportunity that many of them would not have The kinds of things that stopped social mobility and otherwise. prevented our young people from achieving their full Head Teacher, Richard Hawkins, describes how the potential. You don’t lose resilience overnight - it’s a school became involved with The Edge: life-time process and so would building these skills up in our children be. It would take dedication, but the We heard about The Edge at a PiXL conference a few results would really make the difference. years ago, and my ears pricked up when I listened to the speaker talking about Leadership, Organisation, We began by looking at why previous attempts to Resilience, Initiative and Communication. These were address these issues were not as successful as we words my Senior Leadership Team had been using had wished. The Children’s University was a good over the past few months when identifying areas for example of such a project. It ticked all the boxes, but our school improvement plan. Being a school in a we had little success. Why? Analysis is key to moving highly deprived area presents challenges daily, but forward. Where the Children’s University failed to these were long-term issues we were talking about. meet the needs of our children was that their parents Green Park has a unique leadership Around these four key aims, we structure in that we do not have subject established four Thematic Learning co-ordinators. We organise the school Teams (or TLTs). staff around our four key aims: 1. To deliver high quality teaching across Innovations Team: with a focus on aim 1, the school through innovation and and with responsibility for English, creativity. mathematics and ICT. 2. To ensure the wellbeing of every child, Pastoral Team: with a focus on aim 2, family and member of staff. and with responsibility for AEN. 3. To bring the wider world into our Cultural Team: with a focus on aim 3, school and to take our school into the and with responsibility for humanities and community. the arts. 4. To ensure that we are all fit, well and Sports and Health Team: with a focus on healthy, both in mind and in body. aim 4, and with responsibility for science and PE. 2 Implementing the Primary Edge Green Park weren’t able to provide them with the opportunities needed outside school. Not because they were lazy or apathetic, but simply because they couldn’t afford to do it. Even when an event was free, they couldn’t afford the transport to get the children there. So, the Edge gave us a means to enable children to engage with key skills in school. (See table on opposite page.) The teams are made up of teachers, teaching assistants and Governors. They meet every three weeks and School Improvement Projects are shared amongst the team by the team leader. This gives all teachers and staff the opportunity to lead on an area and to develop their leadership skills through this work, supported by the rest of the team. It also provides a ready source of future leaders for both Green Park and other schools. The Edge fell under the remit of the Sports and Healthy schools team and Michelle Barnes, one of the Year 3 teaching team, took on the role of Edge Co-ordinator. She began by launching the project in a full staff meeting and then met with phase teams to discuss how they could implement it. We began by Ofsted said: launching initially in Year 3 and 4, before moving to - Pupils develop excellent personal skills. They are nurtured the whole school in the second year. and thrive as well-rounded individuals. They are friendly, confident and well mannered. They behave exceptionally Time is a great pressure in all schools and, through well, feel safe and are respectful and caring of each other and monitoring, it became clear that having the Edge adults. as a separate lesson wasn’t working as well as we - The broad and balanced curriculum successfully develops pupils’ personal skills as well as their academic excellence. would like. We talked to the teams and they felt that Learning based around interesting themes, topics and texts it would be better if we could incorporate the Edge helps to motivate and inspire pupils. into daily lessons. So, we set about planning these - Pupils develop as exceptionally well-rounded individuals and opportunities. Teachers worked together to include confident, self-assured and resilient learners. They thrive in the Edge in lesson plans and encouraged each other a happy, calm and caring environment, enjoy all that they do, to be creative in their thinking. and have excellent attitudes towards learning. There were obvious opportunities, such as PE its grounds and it was quickly transformed into Green lessons, for children to work on their leadership and Park’s own Forest School. Children spend one day communication, but teachers thought wider than this a week for one term each year taking part in Forest and started to provide children chances to work on School, as well as Forest School Club that runs every resilience in maths and to think about organisation Friday after school. in a literacy lesson. Extra-curricular activities (which are a key part of Green Park life) offered bountiful If you walk around Green Park, you will see the LORIC opportunities to work on LORIC. characters in every corridor. They have become part of what we do every day, as has the Edge. In 2016, one teacher and two teaching assistants undertook training to become qualified Forest School I would highly recommend the Edge to every PiXL Teachers. The school has an area of woodland within school. It really does make a difference. – Richard Hawkins, Headteacher, Green Park Community Primary School. 3 Our PiXL Edge Journey Forster Park Primary Forster Park’s Edge Journey In May 2017, we had a staff meeting where we attempting to complete discussed what life skills we felt our children needed some challenging tasks. most; the top one being Resilience. Enter, The The children (and adults!) LORIC Family! really responded to Raj and would encourage their It was really exciting to see how abstract concepts peers to “Be like Raj.” could be made concrete for our children, and provide them with skills for life. At the end of the school year, we revamped our During our annual ‘Fitness Fortnight’, Raj Resilience values to coincide with was launched to the whole school. I gave a whole- the LORIC family and in September we officially school assembly where a group of children were launched the characters and introduced Olly given the task of building a tower solely out of Organisation. He was introduced through another newspapers and masking tape.